Spectacle suspender clamp



0ct.,16, 1956 M. L. CHANKO SPECTACLE SUSPENDER CLAMP Filed April 5, 1952INVENTOR.

J/VOzA/-Xs United States Patent SPECTACLE SUSPENDER CLAMP Mortimer L.Chanko, South Orange, N. J. Application April 5, 1952, Serial No.280,739-

3 Claims. (Cl. 24'-73) This invention'relates to spectacle supports and;more particularly, to spectacle suspenders of the. type worn around apersons neck.

One object of the present invention is to provide'an improved suspenderof the above character to which the temples of spectacles of most anykind and size may quickly and faeilely be attached for safe wear on onesperson regardless of whether the spectacles are used or not used,

Another object of the present invention is toprovide a suspender of the;above character in the form of a strap or similar flexible suspensionmember which is adapted for wear around a persons neck and carries atits ends readily attachable and detachable clamps of an improvedconstruction to which the temples. of spectacles may" releasably beattached.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a suspender of theabove character of which the; clamps, though neat in appearance, arerelatively inconspicuous, and are hardly, if at all, felt by th wearerwhen the spectacles are used.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a suspender of theabove character of which the. clamps have improved provisions for thequick and facileattachment thereto, and equally quick and facile removalthere,- from, of either a fabric band, a cord ora chain, by means ofwhich the clamps are worn around a persons neck.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will be more fully understood from the following descriptionconsidered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In; the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a clamp and attached strap of aspectacle suspender embodying the. present invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the 1ine'2' 2 of v Fig. 3 is asectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2; I

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken onthe line- 5-5 of Fig- Fig. 6 is afragmentary perspective view, on; an enlarged scale, of the strap endofFig; 1;

Fig. 7 is a viewsimilar to Fig; 1 showing an attached chain type ofspectacle suspender; and

Fig. 8 is a sectional view'takenon the line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

Referring to the drawings, the reference numeral" 10 designates a partof a spectacle suspender which comprises, in the present instance, astrap. 12 adapted. for wear around a person's neck, and two identicalclamps 14 which are attached to the opposite ends, respectively, of thestrap 12. The clamps 14, of which one is shown in the drawings, areusable interchangeably with a flexible suspension element having eithera loop-type end 'ice (Figs. 7 and 8) or a connector having theconstruction to be described. in detail hereinafter (Figs. 1 through 6).

Each clamp 14 comprises companion jaws 2i and 22 which are provided withspaced pairs of interfitted lugs 24 and. 26, respectively, through whichextends a pin 28 for pivotal: connection of the jaws 20 and 22. Pin 28may be in the form of a hollow shaft, as illustrated in the drawings,and may have its end portions 18 spun over its adjacent lug 24 to securepin 28 against axial displacement. The jaws 2i) and 22 may be made ofany suitable. material, and their gripping ends 30 and 32, respectively,are preferably lined with pads 34 and 36, respectively, of any suitablefriction material, such as rubher, for example. The pads 34 and 36 mayconveniently be. cemented or otherwise secured to the confronting faces0f the gripping ends 30 and 32 of the jaws 20 and 22, respectively, andare preferably positioned in recesses 40. and 42, respectively, in thelatter (Figs. 1 and 2).

The jaws 2.0 and 22 are extended rearwardly beyond their pivotconnection 28 so as to form handles 44 and 46, respectively. The jaws 2dand 22 are normally closed by any suitable spring means, such as spring48 which has a plurality of convolutions 49' disposed :on pin 28 in thefashion shown in Figs. 4- and 5 and engages with its endsSO and-52 thejaw handles 44- and 46, respectively. Preferably, the ends 50 and 52 ofthe spring 48' extend, for their secure location. and also partialconcealment, into recesses 54 and 56, respectively, in the jaws 20- and22, respectively... It will be noted that the spring end portions 59and. 52 will be urged outwardly whereby to spring-urge jaws 2i) and 22in a closing direction. The jaws 20 and. 22 are provided with dependingperipheral flanges 58; and 60, respectively, which define the recesses40, 42, 54, and 56 aforedesoribed. The recess 56 of jaw 22 is providedwith an. open end 62 through which to introduce the end of a flexiblesuspension member into said recess. From the above, it will be seen thatthe jaws 2i) and 22 are structurally identical, except for the relativedisplacement of the lugs 24 and 26 which are interfitted.

In order to provide for the releasable attachment to each clamp 14 of anend of a flexible suspension member, for example strap 12 of chain 16,the end portion 52 of spring 48. associated with jaw 22 is curved orbent back upon itself, as indicated at 64, as best shown in Figs. 1 and4. The curved end portion 64 of spring 48 will be spring-urged againstthe bottom of recess 56, and said curved end portion is adapted to bemoved. outwardly of said recess, for interengagement with an end of aflexible suspension member.. As previously pointed out, the curved endportion 64 of spring 48 is adapted to interchangeably cooperate with aflexible suspension member of either strap or chain type as indicated at12 and 16, respectively.

Strap 12, which may be either a fabric band or a ribbon,

is provided. at each end portion with a connector 66, the

latter being provided with an inclined raised portion 68 which isadapted to interengage with curved end portion 64 of spring 48. The endof the strap 12 is secured to connector 66 in any conventional manner,as by crimping lugs 70, over the end of said strap, as best shown inFig. 6, to thereby provide a secure connection between said connectorand its associated end of said strap. Connector 6.6 is also providedwith a straight lead portion 72 which is formed integral with theinclined raised portion 68. From the. above, it will be seen that forthe releasable attachment of strap 12' to clamp 14,.it is merelynecessary to insert portions 72 and 68 of connector 66 into the open end62 of recess 56 between the curved end portion 64 of spring 48 and thebottom of said recess and to axially move said connector inwardly ofclamp 14 whereby the apex portion 74 of said connector will firmlyinterengage with the curved end portion 64 of said spring. The dependingperipheral flanges 60, 60 are efiective with lugs 70 to securely lockthe strap 12 to handle 46 of jaw 22 when connector 66 is inserted intorecess 56 and is engaged with the curved end portion 64 of spring 48 andthe bottom of said recess. In order to disengage connector 66 from clamp14, is is merely necessary to lift said connector outwardly of therecess 56 whereby to lift the curved end portion 64 of the springoutwardly of said recess and to move said connector in a lateraldirection whereby the apex part 74 of said connector may be readilydisengaged from the curved end portion 64 of the spring. Upon theremoval of connector 66 from engagement with the curved end portion 64,the latter will snap back into position for its ready reattachment toconnector 66.

As previously pointed out, the curved end portion 64 of spring 48 may beinterchangeably attached to a flexible suspension element having aloop-type attachment end. Flexible suspension element 16, in the form ofa chain comprises a plurality of chain links 17, and is adapted to bereleasably attached to clamp 14 by the interengagement of an end link17' of said chain with the curved end portion 64 of spring 48 (Figs. 7and 8). Thus, for the releasable attachment of link 17' to said curvedend portion 64, it is merely necessary to pry said curved end portionoutwardly of the recess 56 by any suitable instrument whereby said endlink may be readily interengaged with said curved end portion. In orderto disengage the chain 16 from the clamp 14, it is merely necessary todisengage end link 17' from the curved end portion 64 of the spring bypulling said end link in a direction toward the gripping end of saidclamp, as will be readily apparent. Although flexible suspension member16 has been shown as comprising a series of connected chain links 17, itwill be readily understood that said flexible suspension member may beof any desired form or construction having a looptype attachment end,such as link or loop 17. From the above, it will be seen that the curvedend portion 64 of spring 48 constitutes anchor means adapted for thereleasable attachment thereto of an end of a flexible suspension membersuch as 12 or 16, having either end connectors 66 or a loop-type end17', respectively. The clamp 14 may be of relatively small sizesutficient to grip one of the temples of a conventional spectacle frame.Clamp 14, which is of relatively small size, is of a neat andesthetically desirable appearance. The above noted features contributetowards the ease with which strap connected clamps of the instant typemay be worn with the spectacles to which they are attached, withoutbeing appreciably felt, if at all, by the wearer, and without appearingoverly conspicuous.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiments of myinvention, it will be understood that various changes may be made in thepresent invention without departing from the underlying idea orprinciples of the invention within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is:

1. A spectacle clamp for releasable attachment to a flexible suspensionmember having one end provided with a connector having a raised portion,said clamp comprising pivotally connected jaws, said jaws having theirgripping ends provided with pads formed of friction material, springmeans carried by said jaws normally to close the latter, one of saidjaws having a recess defined in a surface thereof with an open endthrough which to introduce said end of a flexible suspension member intosaid recess, said spring means having a curved end portion positioned insaid recess, said curved end portion constituting anchor means for thereleasable attachment thereto of said connector of said flexiblesuspension member, said raised portion of said connector being adaptedto interengage with said curved end portion and when so interengaged isspring urged by said curved end portion for frictional engagement withinsaid recess of said one jaw.

2. In combination, a spectacle clamp and a flexible suspension member,said clamp comprising pivotally connected jaws having gripping ends andhandle ends on opposite sides, respectively, of their pivot connection,spring means carried by said pivot connection normally to close thegripping ends of said jaws, the handle end of one of said jaws having arecess defined in a surface thereof with an open end through which tointroduce the end of said flexible suspension member into said recess,said spring means having end portions bearing against said handle ends,one of said end portions being curved and positioned in said recess,said flexible suspen sion member end being formed complementary to saidcurved end portion, the latter constituting anchor means for thereleasable attachment thereto of said complementary end of said flexiblesuspension member, said complementary end of said suspension memberbeing spring urged by said curved end portion for frictional engagementwithin said recess of said one of said jaws, said jaws having theirgripping ends provided with pads formed of a gripping material.

3. In combination, a spectacle clamp and a flexible suspension member,said member having an end adapted for releasable attachment to saidclamp, the latter comprising pivotally connected jaws, spring meanscarried by said jaws normally to close the latter, one of said jawshaving a pair of peripherally disposed depending flanges defining arecess therebetween and having an open end through which to introducesaid end of said flexible suspension member into said recess, saidspring means having a curved end portion positioned in said recess, saidcurved end portion consituting anchor means for the releasableattachment thereto of said end of said flexible suspension member, saidcurved end portion being operative to interengage with said member endportion and being urged by said spring means against the bottom of saidrecess and being movable against the action of said spring meansoutwardly of said recess for interengagement with said mem ber endportion, the latter being spring urged by said curved end portion forfrictional engagement with said recess when said member end portion isinterengaged with said curved end portion whereby said portions arefacilely engaged and disengaged and said portions are securely heldtogether when interengaged and prevented from becoming inadvertentlydisengaged by the conjoint locking action of said flanges and saidcurved end portion, said pivotally connected clamp jaws having grippingends and handle ends on opposite sides, respectively, of their pivotconnection, said gripping ends carrying pads formed of a frictionmaterial in confronting disposition for receiving therebetween templesof a pair of spectacles.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS443,602 Richards Dec. 30, 1890 1,499,428 Wagner July 1, 1924 1,800,690Leventhal Apr. 14, 1931 1,849,321 Tomlinson Mar. 15, 1932 2,037,449 BaerApr. 14, 1936 2,209,697 Kislingbury July 30, 1940 2,251,463 Myrberg Aug.5, 1941 2,397,284 Miller Mar. 26, 1946 2,603,849 Epperson July 22, 1952FOREIGN PATENTS 374,364 Germany June 10, 1921

